Opposition Builds against Controversial Gang Injunctions

“We will use this time to continue building together to stop the gang injunctions once and for all,” says Manuel La Fontaine of Plan for a Safer Oakland, a member organizations of the coalition effort that organized last week's rally. “We will not stand idle while police are given the green light to continue targeting young people of color."

"We need to divert the city's meager budget to invest in services that will actually benefit young people’s lives," says Helia Rasti, an organizer with Critical Resistance. "We are all Oscar Grant and we will never forget the type of brutality the police are capable of," continues Rasti, in reference to the young 22 year old father who was shot in the back by BART police last year.

"Young people of color have been targeted by police intimidation for years. Just look at the long list of murders committed by the police in the last 2 years," says George Galvis, an Oakland resident and community organizer with All of Us or None. "We must put a stop to police intimidation and racial profiling."

The city plans to spend $430,000 to fund the North Oakland gang injunction and discussion is already underway to extend them into East and West Oakland. The injunction, proposed in February by Police Chief Batts and City Attorney John Russo, was not approved by City Council due to its controversial nature and high costs.

“The more young people have to interact with cops, the worse off we will be," says Doraius Lacy, a high school senior and East Oakland resident. "Instead of spending money criminalizing young people, an investment is needed to support us in reaching our full potential as adults who can bring about a safer and better future for us all."

The newly formed group to stop the injunction is composed of a wide array of locals who meet weekly in North Oakland to discuss how the gang injunction will negatively impact their neighborhoods, communities, and family members, and to outline solutions that would address the root causes of violence in Oakland. The group is organizing a community town hall on May 8th to further this discussion. Included in the conversation will be ideas for building community responses against violence that don't involve police. The town hall will take place from 8 am – 12 noon at Oakland City Council chambers, 1 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza.

For more information about the coalition to stop the injunction visit http://stoptheinjunction.wordpress.com/